Finding Home
by mamaXunicorn
Summary: Neal discovers what home really AU past mid-season 3. For the 'Remembering Baelfire' challenge on tumblr.


_**A/n: This is a mostly a complete overhaul of everything that happened in the show since they decided to kill Neal off…starting with keeping him alive. There will be certain elements of canon that will remain, including some events and characters from later seasons.**_

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Neal turned the small bean over and over again in his right palm.

He knew it was only a matter of time that his world would have to change again. That was just the way his life worked - constantly moving from one place to another just as he thought he found a home.

The years seemed to go by like seconds. When one has lived for hundreds of years time tends to do that. Still, he thought he might have finally, at long last, found some normalcy and permanence.

The last place he expected it to be was the magical, previously cursed town where his father lived. He never expected to feel so grateful to have his father back in his life. He never expected to feel so complete.

Storybrooke was always full of surprises and some threat or another but at least he found his family. He had his father, Belle and, eventually, his little brother Gideon. He had only had a little over a year with Gideon before they decided to leave Storybrooke and find a new land of their own. He was happy for them and understood their reasoning but found he missed them when they were gone.

He also had Emma, who had eventually agreed to that date which rekindled the love that never truly went away. It changed, as they had, over the 11 years they were apart but that connection between them was still there and grew deeper and stronger.

Belle and Snow called it true love.

If he had not come from a land where such a notion existed he wouldn't believe it but as it were, he was, so he did.

Time and time again they were brought to one another, saved one another. They even have survived Emma being the Dark One. That tested their love more than anything- Neal wasn't sure he could handle seeing the woman he loved possessed by the same curse that originally tore apart his family.

Unlike his father however, Emma did not fully give into the dark magic that possessed her. She fought it and eventually the curse was lifted.

He also had Henry, who made him happier than he could ever remember being. Having missed a father figure for the first eleven years, and finding they shared a lot of common traits, they stuck to each other like glue.

Then came Mary. She was a surprise but a welcome one and Henry was overjoyed to have a little sister.

When Mary was over a little year old, he and Emma were married in a small ceremony on the beach. Henry was the best man, Snow was the maid of honor and Mary was the flower girl.

After the final battle, things became a little quieter in Storybrooke. There was the occasional mysterious figure that came out of some mysterious portal from some mysterious land but no longer was their little town in threat of any real danger and destruction.

Life moved on as normally as it could in Storybrooke.

When Henry was 18, he decided to go on adventure of his own, determined to find his place in a world full of people who all had stories of their own. Neal was a little reluctant to send his son off into an unknown world to face unknown dangers but supported his decision. After all he had gone the same. Not by choice, of course but he figured he owed his son the same life-changing opportunities. The difference being Henry would always have a home and a family to come home to.

He left with a bean given to him by Tiny – a special bean that took him who knows where.

It felt strange living a life without Henry just when Neal had gotten used to having a son. They still had Mary though and she was enough.

Then, just shortly after Mary's 8th birthday, the earthquakes started. Emma and Regina worked for weeks trying to figure out its source. It was then they made a terrifying discovery: Storybrooke was disappearing.

The magic that created and held the town to its position in the realm was weakening. After the curse was broken and the final battle won the magic could only be sustained for so long.

The residents had a choice to make - to find a home for themselves outside of Storybrooke or find another land, whether it was back to the Enchanted Forest or somewhere else.

Neal dreaded the thought of returning to the Enchanted Forest. No memories he had of that place were happy – first his childhood and then being trapped there after he was shot.

He and Emma considered finding a home in the land without magic – perhaps New York or Boston or even Tallahassee.

"Henry." Emma reminded him. Storybrooke was their only tie to the other realms and without Storybrooke they would never see Henry again which was not an option they were willing to consider.

Regina had already made up her mind to be with Henry in his land and so had Snow and David. While they had enjoyed their time in Storybrooke they were more than willing to return to a more familiar place.

Neal and Emma, though, were more reluctant for different reasons.

Little by little, the townspeople left, whether it was to return to the Enchanted Forest or make a new life for themselves in this world and the town was emptied as the magic that held the town together slowly ate away at buildings and homes and roads.

Regina was the first to leave with Robin and Roland loyally at her side, as she missed Henry. Snow and Charming also left early on to find Henry and establish their new life.

Emma, as sheriff, felt duty bound to be one of the last ones to leave - to make sure everyone had left the town safely.

It was strange, when it came time for them to leave, and they were the only ones left. All that was left of Storybrooke was Main Street by the time they headed off towards the town line where they'd say goodbye to Storybrooke forever.

"Neal?"

Neal looked up at the call of his name. He looked first at his wife and then at Mary who was holding tightly onto his other hand, both watching him in concern.

"Are you alright?" Emma asked from her place on the other side of Mary.

"Yeah." he muttered with an unconvincing smile.

He knew it was different circumstances and it had been hundreds of years and he had been through plenty of portals, but there was something about holding that small bean in his hand that sent him right back to being fourteen years old. His heart pounded hard and fast and he felt like he could throw up at any moment and he hated that he felt that way.

Unlike when he was fourteen, he knew without a doubt that there was family waiting for him on the other side. There was also family right beside him that were going to travel with him. He was not young Baelfire escaping dark magic to a lonely unknown world. He was Neal Cassidy, father, husband, about to join his son and the rest of his family in a brand new world.

He let out a shaky breath and felt a release of tension as his daughter squeezed his hand.

He looked down at her with a smile and a near identical mini version of Emma's smile shone back at him.

"Let's go."

He flipped the bean twice over in his palm before taking a deep breath and tossing it several feet in front of him.

His heart leapt into his throat as it opened with a gush of strong wind and a golden glow. For a brief moment his mind clouded with fear but then a soft gasp from beside him shot him back to reality.

Mary stared at the swirling portal in awe and wonder, not a trace of fear in her eyes.

It was then all his own fear vanished. The portal was no longer going to be a dangerous thing to take him away from his family, but something that would lead him to be with his family forever in a new adventure.

He tightened his grip on her hand, shared a look with Emma and then with a simultaneous nod he led them towards the portal.

It was horrifying few seconds where he lost all sense of himself, or Mary and Emma. All he felt was the pounding in his head, the pressure against his body as they passed through the portal.

Then just as quickly as it came the pressure was released, the pounding in his head stopped. His heart was racing but he could feel Mary's soft, warm hand in his and a warm breeze against his face and an unfamiliar but fresh smell.

He felt Mary's hand leave his and his eyes popped open only to see her running into her big brother's arms.

"Henry!"

Their twenty two year old son scooped Mary into his arms with a grin and twirled her around and the sound of their joined laughter filled the air.

Behind Henry stood the rest of their family - Snow, David, Charlie, Regina, Robin, and another unfamiliar young woman who watched Henry with an adoring smile.

Neal released his breath just as Emma came to stand by his side and take his hand. "We made it."

Behind them, the portal closed with a whoosh, leaving Storybrooke behind them forever.

He felt an ache in his chest at the loss of the town that had been his home the last few years but the relief that came from seeing his family together in front of him overpowered it.

He gave Emma a dazzling grin and leaned down to capture her lips in a kiss. She smiled against his mouth, lifting her other hand to his cheek to hold him close.

"Tallahassee." She whispered to him. They opened their eyes and her green eyes sparkled up at him.

"Tallahassee." He agreed.

They were pulled apart by a loud cough to find Henry standing in front of them with a knowing grin.

Behind him, Mary was being passed around by the rest of her family, being smothered in hugs and kisses.

"Henry." Emma breathed, pulling out of Neal's arms and pulling her son in for a tight hug.

"Hi Mom." Henry smiled against the side of her head as he returned her hug just as eagerly.

"I've missed you." Emma pulled out of his arms and brought a hand to his cheek. "Look at you….all grown up and handsome."

Henry rolled his eyes, his cheeks tinting pink. "I've missed you too, Mom."

Henry then turned his grin to his father, who reached out to place a tender hand on his shoulder.

"I'm so glad you guys are here."

"So are we, bud." Neal said, reaching out to place his hand on Henry's shoulder.

Emma's attention was drawn to the beautiful woman who was slowly approaching them with a hesitant but warm smile.

Henry glanced over his shoulder and his face lit up as he opened up his arm to her.

Emma and Neal raised their brow as she immediately sunk against his side, Henry's arm securing around her waist.

"Who is this?" Neal looked between them with a knowing smirk.

Without taking his eyes off of her, and the grin never leaving his face, Henry answered. "This is Ella." The two shared a loving smile before Henry took a breath and looked back at his parents. "She's my fiancé."

"Your what?" Emma scoffed, her eyes widening.

"Fiancé?" Neal mirrored his wife's surprise.

Ella placed one hand on Henry's chest and smiled politely at them. "I told Henry he shouldn't have just sprung it on you like that."

Henry shrugged with an impish grin, not dissimilar to that of his father and grandfather.

Emma laughed and shook her head, staring affectionately at her son. "That's just normal behavior for Henry. Did he tell you he showed up at my door at ten years old and came right out and told me he was my long lost son?"

"Then they both turned up with my estranged father in my apartment with the surprise of his existence." Neal added.

"To be honest," Emma piped in, looking to Neal, "had I known you were Baelfire, I wouldn't have even brought Henry." She admitted.

"Well then it's a good thing for all of us my identity remained a secret upon our first meeting."

Emma's face softened as she touched Neal's arm. "Yeah, it is." They continued to gaze lovingly into each other's eyes remembering the last decade and everything that happened to bring them together again.

"So this is Ella!" Henry broke them apart sharply with a grin.

The couple looked to their son with unapologetic smiles. "Sorry," Emma shook her head and reached out her hand with a smile, "it's a pleasure to meet you, Ella. I'm Emma and this is Neal."

Neal shook her hand as well. "Ella?" He asked with a cocked eyebrow. "Not like…"

"Cinderella? Yeah." Henry answered with a smile and Ella rolled her eyes. "I came here to find a new life apart from all the fairytales and end up falling in love with Cinderella. Seems apt for the grandson of Snow White and Prince Charming. I guess it was always my fate." He glanced down at Ella with a twinkle in his eyes.

"But what about Ashley?" Emma wondered.

Snow took this moment to walk up and smiled, hugging her namesake to her side. "Ashley and Ella are from different realms." She explained. "As far as we know our Ella is with Thomas and their daughter in the Enchanted Forest."

"There are different versions of each character across different realms." Henry explained. "It's so fascinating, Mom! Hook let us borrow the Jolly Roger for a little while as we sailed between the realms, discovering new people and how things had changed. For instance there was a realm where Grandma's story was almost exactly like the Disney tale."

"Including my death." Regina piped as she walked up to join them with a roll of her eyes. "With the only reason for her hatred of Snow being jealousy. How pathetically vain."

"To be fair, it wasn't you, Mom." Henry looked over his shoulder with a smile. "Her name wasn't even Regina."

"It's still ridiculous."

"Not unlike blaming a ten year old for something your mother did."

"Okay let's not get into that again." Emma interrupted quickly. "The point I'm getting here is that this Ella is her own story and most importantly she is someone who Henry loves."

Ella turned a dazzling smile up at Henry. "And I love him."

Neal watched the two of them with a smile as a wave of nostalgia washed over him. Henry reminded him so much of himself when he was his age – when he had just met Emma in the backseat of what would be their bug and fell almost instantly in love. He could see the same love between Henry and Ella – true love.

He could only hope their story played out a little differently than his and Emma's. Yes, they had gotten there in the end but the betrayal, from him on her heart, and his own fear had led to more than eleven years of separation.

Henry and his new love – his fiancé – deserved better than that.

"Well then, Ella, let me be the first to say – it will be an absolute pleasure to have you as a daughter-in-law."

Ella smiled at Neal and thanked him whole heartedly while Henry beamed happy and proud beside her.

Rounds of hugs were given as the family reunited. Emma was delighted to see her brother again who was starting to grow into a handsome young man.

Neal was glad to see Robin again who he had made close friends with in Storybrooke and who he missed once he left with Regina.

"So what happens now?" Emma asked, one arm around her daughter, the other around her mother.

"Our home is your home for as long as you want it to be." David offered. "We understand of course you'll want your own place here but until you make arrangements we'd be glad to have you."

"And you will just love the village! Everyone is so friendly." Snow chirped in delightfully.

"You can also stay with us." Henry said. "The palace is certainly big enough."

Emma's brow rose. "You have a palace?"

"I have a palace." Ella said with a smile, nudging Henry with her elbow. "I simply allow him to live there."

"You become a prince after all." Emma noted.

"Or I will be once I marry her."

"You are a prince, Henry." Regina said. "Not only as my son but as the grandson of Snow and Charming."

"Only in the Enchanted Forest." Henry pointed out. "Here I'm just Henry."

"You have royal blood, that doesn't go away because of where you are." Regina countered.

"I guess that makes you princess." Neal remarked to Emma with a smirk and then snorted as he received a glare in response.

"I'm just Emma and that is just fine with me. Henry, thank you for the offer but we don't want to disturb your new life…."

"Mom-" Henry began in protest. "You're not…"

"Your father and Mary and I will stay with your grandparents."

Snow let out a small squeal of delight. "We will be roommates again."

Emma turned a look to her mother. "And only until we can find a home of our own."

"Emma, honey, we have waited for this day from the moment we left Storybrooke." Snow told her with a gentle smile. "You're our daughter and Neal and Mary are family. Family is never an imposition."

Emma smiled. "Thanks Mom but it's not about that. We just need to be able to make this land a home just like you have and we need to make it our own."

She hugged Mary to her side as she glanced over at Neal.

Neal met her eyes and they shared a smile and it was at that moment he got the same feeling he did when he first decided to stay in Storybrooke. The feeling like he belonged right where he was – the feeling of home.

He had been to countless realms and cities and nothing had ever felt right except when he was with those he loved. Because that's what home was, not any specific place, but the people that share your heart and life.

He was anxious to start this new chapter of his life but no longer fearful because Neal finally realized he found home a long time ago.


End file.
